Campus Celebrity: Anya Schulman

Name: Anya Schulman

Age:  19

Year: 2017

Hometown: Buffalo, New York

Major: English, with an emphasis in creative writing.

Activities: Co-Captain of the Kenyon College Equestrian Team, Tour Guide, Kenyon Fit Spin Instructor, Writing and Thinking Pre-Orientation RA.

Power animal: I get compared to the energizer bunny a lot!

Hi Anya! You’re one of the busiest students I know at Kenyon. You’re co-captain of the Equestrian Team, a spin instructor at the KAC, a tour guide, and you were an RA for the Writing and Thinking Pre-O! What inspires you to be so involved on campus?

Hey Inês! I’ve always loved being really involved—I think it’s because I’m interested in so many of the departments Kenyon offers and don’t like having to narrow down my academic and extracurricular focus. I want to do everything I can to take advantage of the beautiful opportunity that is Kenyon. My coach on the equestrian team, Erica Parnisari, calls me “the Kenyon cheerleader,” which I think is a pretty accurate descriptor of how I feel about Kenyon!

Tell me about the KCET (Kenyon College Equestrian Team). Have you always been involved in this sport?  

KCET, and riding in general, is my passion. I started riding when I was 5, but didn’t ride seriously until I was 11. I rode competitively in Buffalo until I came to Kenyon.

I think it is one of the most unique organizations on campus for a couple of reasons. I believe we’re currently the largest club sport on campus with forty-two members. This year we’ve doubled in size, which is something I’m very proud of. Anyone can join KCET, and we have a broad range of ability level; several members start riding for the first time with us, and go on to compete for the team or continue riding beyond college.

KCET participates in relay for life, does pony rides on ransom lawn to benefit a local therapeutic riding center, hosts social events like our weekly team dinners, parties, pancake fundraisers, and more! We also spend a weekend at Cedar Point every year to sustain the cost of our team, as the upkeep of horses takes a great deal of time and money.

Do you have your own horse?

I don’t right now—horses are a ton of work! However, I used to lease an Oldenburg mare named Wasabi. The name suits her, because she’s a spicy, sassy gal.

You’re obviously a really athletic person. Do you also teach spin classes at home?

I just completed my AFAA indoor cycling certification, so I haven’t taught spin classes at home yet. Hopefully, I will someday at the gym where I first started spinning, Bikeorbar, in Buffalo. I work in New York City over the summer, so I doubt I’ll be able to break into the spin market there as a rookie instructor, because its pretty competitive, but it’s something I hope to work towards!                       

Time for the fun questions! If you could party with any three people in the world, who would they be and why?

Ingrid Michaelson, because she’s one of my favorite musicians. I’ve been to four of her concerts, including a free one that I sneakily walked to without telling my parents in a mild act of teenage rebellion.

Ke$ha, because it would probably be the most memorable/crazy/musical night of my life.

Julie Andrews. She is a national treasure.

If Jeni’s made an ice-cream just for you, what flavor would it be and why?

Mint with chunks of dark chocolate and chocolate covered pretzels. Not skimpy on the chocolate; I want the sort of chunks you need to excavate with a spoon! I’m addicted to chocolate… the mint ice cream is refreshing enough to cleanse your palate so that you can eat large quantities and feel minimally sick afterwards, while the chocolate chunks and chocolate covered pretzels balance out the sweet and salty/savory aspects of the ice cream’s flavor.        

Finally, what is one thing on your Kenyon bucket list?

Riding a horse on middle path, skinny dipping in the Kokosing, having a scotch with PF Kluge when I’m a senior (I’ll be 21 then), and starting an a cappella group for people who can sort of sing called the Shower Singers with some of my friends who are also mediocre, albeit passionate, singers. That was four, sorry. Concision isn’t my strong suit.

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